Vultures who prey on the desperate
One of the most despicable types of criminals are those vultures who prey on the most vulnerable in our society. Here one refers to the contemptuous operators who would, for example, approach uninformed and gullible old age pensioners with promises of impossible returns on investments – and run off with their meagre life savings, leaving …
One of the most despicable types of criminals are those vultures who prey on the most vulnerable in our society.
Here one refers to the contemptuous operators who would, for example, approach uninformed and gullible old age pensioners with promises of impossible returns on investments – and run off with their meagre life savings, leaving them destitute for the rest of their lives.
The other vile species are those who fleece frantic people desperate to find employment to lift themselves out of the mire of poverty and constant hunger.
They are at it again here on our doorstep.
Criminals posing as recruiters and promising unemployed community members fake work opportunities at big business in the City, are continuing to swindle trusting people.
According to major corporates and the Richards Bay police, work seekers are still getting duped into paying large fees to secure jobs at companies such as Transnet, Foskor and Richards Bay Coal Terminal.
Reports say that up to R4 000 upfront down payments are made – a fortune for unemployed hopefuls who probably have to borrow the money and then find themselves in a much greater financial dilemma. Scammers usually justify the upfront costs as fees for uniforms, training, registration and such non-existent things.
What job seekers need to remember is that all companies follow a strict protocol relating to recruitment, interviews and appointments. They do it in-house and none of them will ever expect applicants to make any form of payments.
What is frustrating as that the media regularly carry warnings about these scams, yet time and again the public allow themselves to become victims of the dirty tricks.
While we must resign ourselves to the fact that this practice will no doubt continue forever-and-a-day while there are willing prey for the unscrupulous criminals, we can only hope the police will do their utmost to investigate such cases with vigour, affect more arrests and the courts will deal with the perpetrators harshly.
This is not a petty crime.
